Agenda Item Name:
Title
Presentation and Public Hearing of Chapter 78, Countywide Natural Resources Protection Code
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Presenter:
Stephen Hofstetter (264-6811)
Eliana Bardi (264-6810)
Description:
Staff will present the final Ordinance for the adoption of the Countywide Natural Resources Protection Code. Countywide Natural Resources include significant habitat, listed species habitat, strategic ecosystems and significant geologic features as defined in the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan. This ordinance will implement the recently approved November 3, 2020 Ballot initiative that provides for the ability of the county and a municipality to enact ordinances establishing the protection of these natural resources and that the ordinances imposing more stringent standards shall prevail and be fully enforceable within the boundaries of such municipality.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Adopt the Countywide Natural Resources Protection Code Ordinance.
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Prior Board Motions:
May 26, 2020, Ordinance 2020-12, Amendment to the County Home Rule Charter. May 25, 2021, BoCC approval of the request to advertise.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
Staffing needs will be monitored for the first year, to determine if additional staffing is needed. Current vacancies will need to be filled as soon as possible. Cost to advertise will be paid from Fund 001.55.5521.537.
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Background:
On May 26, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Ordinance 2020-12 to amend Section 1.4 of the Alachua County Home Rule Charter, extending protections to natural resources countywide. The resources identified included listed species habitat, strategic ecosystems, significant geologic features, and significant habitat as defined in the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan. This amendment passed with 71% of the vote in the General Election on November 3, 2020.
On May 25, 2021 staff presented the proposed draft Ordinance creating Chapter 78, Countywide Natural Resources Protection Code. The BoCC voted to approve the request to advertise for an adoption hearing. The ordinance, once adopted, will extend protection requirements for natural resources countywide. These resources are defined as:
Listed species habitat - Habitat that supports species of plants and animals listed as endangered, threatened, rare, or species of special concern by an official state or federal plant or wildlife agency, or the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI, includes species ranked as S1, S2, or S3)
Significant geologic features - Geologic features such as sinkholes, springs, caves, stream bluffs, escarpments, outcroppings, and other karst features
Significant Habitat - Contiguous stands of natural upland plant communities which have been documented to support, and which have the potential to maintain, healthy and diverse populations of plants and wildlife
Strategic ecosystems - Defined as sites that are identified in the KBN/Golder Associates report, “Alachua County Ecological Inventory Project” (1996)